Mercadona is preparing to reinforce its presence in Portugal with the opening of another store, this time in Amarante, in an operation that once again places job creation and the conditions offered to workers at the center of the Spanish chain’s strategy. The opening is scheduled for October and the plan is to recruit employees for various part-time work arrangements, at a stage in which the retailer continues to expand sustainably in the North of the country.
According to , a website specializing in news, marketing and management, the new unit will have around 1,900 square meters of sales area and will follow the model already implemented in other brand stores in Portugal.
The space will have the main usual sections, from butchers and fish to bakery and confectionery, including the produce, perfumery, household products and animals. The integration of the Ready to Eat area is also planned, with meals prepared on a self-service basis, a concept that the company has been reinforcing in recent years.
Expansion in the Porto district
With this opening, Mercadona consolidates its presence in the Porto district, where it now operates a total of 26 stores. On a national scale, the brand now has 72 supermarkets, on a path of continuous growth since entering the Portuguese market. The investment has been made in locations outside large urban centers, seeking to ensure proximity and regional coverage, without changing the basic operational model.
The new Amarante store therefore appears as another step in a strategy that combines real estate investment, logistics and human resources, with a direct impact on the local economy. The focus is, above all, on hiring supermarket operators, on a part-time basis, with two different working hours options.
Effective contracts and paid training
For those who opt for a 20-hour week, spread over five days with fixed shifts, the gross annual remuneration varies from 7,646 euros to 10,457 euros, plus subsidies. In the 15-hour week regime, mainly intended for weekend work, salaries are between 5,734 euros and 7,843 euros gross per year, also with additional benefits.
All vacancies include a permanent contract from the first day and paid training, a point that the company has consistently highlighted in its recruitment processes. Expenses associated with the training period, such as food and transportation, are fully covered by Mercadona, without candidates having to travel outside their area of residence.
Benefits and progression
In addition to the salary component, the benefits package includes up to 29 working days of vacation per year, schedules defined monthly in advance and an annual bonus system linked to seniority. After the first full year, employees receive a bonus equivalent to one extra salary, which can reach two additional salaries from the fourth year onwards.
According to the same source, the company recently implemented an additional week of vacation for its more than 115 thousand employees, in a measure transversal to the group and as part of a policy of valuing teams.
The initiative is part of a broader set of internal practices that have distinguished Mercadona in the supermarket sector, at a time when competition for qualified labor is intensifying in several regions of the country.
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